howaed hand



(No Model.)

J. H. HAND. Cartridge Loading Implet nent.

No. 236,678. Patented Jan. 18, 1881.

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min 688 85 Inventor /%W 7 Mazd v MW MPEFERS, PMOTO-LIXHO GRAPHERWASHINGTON. D. C,

UN TED STATES PATENT FFICE.

J. HOWARD HAND, OF ASTORIA, NEWV YORK.

CARTRI DGE-LOADING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,678, dated January18, 1881.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J. HOWARD HAND, ofAstoria, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Gartridgelrtammers, of which thefollowing is a description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, where- Figurelis a side view of a common cartridgerammer inposition for forcing a wad into a brass shot-shell, (for use inbreech-loading shot-gun,) the shell and the funnel represented as cut incentral vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a similar view of myimproved cartridge-rammer. Fig. 3 is a view of the lower end of myimproved cartridge-rammer.

It is well known to users of breech-loading shot-guns that in loadingthe shells therefor wads must be used one or two sizes larger indiameter than the bore of the shell, in order to have the wads packtightly into the shell. A No. 10 wad is usually used for a No.12 shell.To enable such a wad to be introduced into the shell a funnel, a, ismade use of. The common rammer b is of substantially the same diameter(slightly less, of course) as the bore of the shell 0 itself. The resultof its use is that the wad is more or less broken and turned up on theedge, on one side or the other, offering unequal resistance to theescape of the gases when the powder explodes, increasing the tendency ofthe wad to turn edgewise in the shell or gun when forced out, withconsequent loss of force and accuracy in the charge, and making the wadliable to become loose in the shell by carriage thereof, or by theconcussion incident to the explosion of a charge in a neighboringbarrel. These and other difficulties are incident to the use of thecommon cartridge-rammer.

My invention consists, primarily, in giving the rammer anelastically-expansible end, so that at its first contact with the wad itmay be diametrically of the same size as the wad, and therefore coverthe whole upper surface of the wad, and, contracting by contact with thefunnel and the interior of the shell, continue to cover the whole wadduring its progress downward through the funnel and into I show thisimprovement embodied in a wooden rammer, .d, in Figs. 2 and 3. Theradial movability of the end of the rammer, which comes in contact withthe wad, is attained by making the slots 0, dividing the rammer, intosections cl, the elasticity of which is given by the natural elasticityof the wood. It is well to also bore the central hole, f. In order tohave this end of the rammer round when compressed by being inserted intoa shell, the central hole, f, may be bored and the cross-slots 6 madebefore the rammer is turned in a lathe, and the sections compressed andbound while the turning is being done.

It is necessary that the exterior surface of my improved rammer shouldhave a slight continuous taper from the base or lower end to a pointopposite the upper ends of the slots 0, in order that the expansibleportion may properly enter the funnel and shell, and from the pointopposite the upper ends of the slots to the enlarged head the exteriorsurface of my rammer may continue to taper, or be cylindrical with adiameter nearly that of the shell, so that after the eXpansible portionhas entered the remaining portion above, it may be exactly centered overthe wad, and fit snugly within the shellwithoutlateral play, to insurethe pressure, when applied to the head, being uniformly distributed uponthe wad,thus avoiding the liability of the wad being tipped and seatedin an angular position upon the charge incident to cartridge-ramniers asheretofore constructed.

This improvement may be readily embodied in metal by making the rammerof a tube divided into sections the same as the wooden rammer, withappropriate ends fastened to the sections and the sections sprungradially outward. The wooden rammer can be made more durable by facingthe sections with thin brass. I am also well aware that there are othermethods of attaining radial expansibility of central hole extending uptherein, in combithe end of the rammer than the specific methnation witha funnel or guide, a, for directing [O ods herein described. it axially,to enable it to squarely seat the Wad I claim as my invention within theshell, substantially as described. A cartridge-rammer slotted at itslower end, J. HOWARD HAND.

and with a slight continuous taper on the ex- Witnesses:

terior surface of its slotted portion, which is A. A. MCCOY,

otherwise smooth and unbroken, and with a I THEODORE V. AYERS.

